Scrapbook
by LilyWafiq
Summary: Sequel to Song of Solomon, and Fire Burns. Rick has asked Kate a big question, how will she respond, and how will their relationship continue?
1. Chapter 1

**Scrapbook**

**A/N: Did ya like the cliff hanger? I know I did. It made for a fun time writing the first chapter of this story. This picks up right where 'Fire Burns' left off. A lot more Castle/Beckett stuff in this story. :D**

**Chapter One**

_Previously:_

"_Kate, you said once that if I asked, you might have a better answer. Well, I'm ready to ask, if you're ready to answer."_

_Kate's breath hitched as she realised exactly what Rick was getting at._

"_So, Katharine Beckett... will you marry me?"_

It had been 5 minutes since Richard Castle had last spoken, and Kate Beckett was yet to say anything. Her mind was spinning, so many scenarios were running though her head. She was thinking as fast as she could, before one thought took up prominence at the forefront of her mind. Richard Castle had asked her to marry him, and she couldn't think of a decent reason to deny him. A sudden clarity hit her, and she was finally able to answer.

"Yes." She whispered.

Rick slumped forward, and the relief was evident in his face, immediately followed by a look of utter joy. He jumped off the bed, and rummaged around in the pocket of his pants, pulling out a small box. "I got this for you." He smiled, and crawled back on the bed with Kate. He opened the box, and Kate's eyes widened.

"Rick. It's beautiful."

"Just like you." Rick replied with a grin. He removed the ring from the box, and slipped it onto Kate's finger.

Kate looked down at it, then smiled up at Rick.

He couldn't resist. He leant over and kissed her. Their first kiss as an engaged couple.

"For a while there, I didn't know if you were actually going to answer." Rick said.

"For a while there, _I _didn't know if I was actually going to answer." Kate replied. "So many things went through my mind. But eventually I settled for the only answer I could actually give."

Rick smiled. "Couldn't say no, could you?"

"No. I couldn't." Kate replied. "I really couldn't."

Rick kissed her again. "I think we're going to have to tell people."

Kate kissed him back. "Eh, they'll probably figure it out anyway. I'll be waiting for the first newspaper or magazine article proclaiming our engagement."

"Ah, true." Rick replied. "Another thing to add to the scrapbook."

Kate pulled back. "What?"

"What?" Rick replied, an innocent look plastered on his face."

"Scrapbook?" Kate inquired. "What scrapbook what that be, Castle?"

"Oh, that. Well..." He trailed off.

"Castle." Kate said, the warning evident in her tone.

"I may have been collecting articles over the past year relating to us..."

"You what?"

"Well, I find them entertaining." Rick defended himself. "And most of the time, a nice reminder of a good time spent with you."

Kate sighed, and rubbed her eyes. "You never cease to amaze me."

"That's a good thing." Rick pointed out. "If I never amazed you, there'd be no spark, and we wouldn't be engaged right now."

Kate glanced back down at the ring, sitting on her finger as though it belonged there. "True, I suppose."

"Now, shall we enjoy our last night before we have to go back to work?" Rick suggested.

Kate couldn't help it, she laughed. "Sure thing, Rick." She said, and he pulled her back down onto the bed.

Rolling up to work two days later was different for Kate. Nothing had changed at the precinct, but she felt different. She walked in, coffee in hand, and smiled at her team. Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito grinned at her when they saw her.

"Hey, Beckett. How was the break?" Ryan asked.

"Mmm, pretty good." Kate replied, sitting down at her desk.

"Just 'pretty good?' I thought Castle went with you." Esposito said.

"He did."

"So you two spent three days wrapped around each other, I presume?" Ryan said.

Kate raised an eyebrow at him.

He shrugged. "Logic prevails in this case, and who am I not to call it as I see it?"

Kate scoffed, and rolled her eyes. "Any cases in the last few days?"

"Nah." Esposito said. "We've pretty much been on downtime, what with you gone. The cases got shunted to other cops and other precincts."

"Okay." Kate glanced down at her desk. "Paperwork it is then."

Ryan chuckled. "Yep. 'Cause everyone _loves_ paperwork."

Kate smiled at him. "You've been doing paperwork for three days, haven't you?"

"Uh huh. Not only am I completely caught up, I am ahead of myself, if that's even possible.

"Where's Castle? He not coming in today?" Esposito asked, changing the topic.

"Uh, no. He's got some stuff to take care of." Press releases and what not. They'd decided, rather than waiting for someone to leak their engagement to the press, that they'd issue a small press release confirming it instead.

"Right. Book stuff?"

"Not quite."

Both Ryan and Esposito looked at her curiously.

"Oh?" Ryan said. "What sort of stuff then?"

Kate glanced at her finger, where her ring sat, then glanced up at her friends. She silently held up her hand, displaying the ring.

"Oh, wow." Ryan said.

"Congratulations!" Esposito said, and he and Ryan both got up and came over to check it out.

They were crowded around Kate, when a voice broke through the chatter.

"What's all this, then? Shouldn't you people be working?" Captain Montgomery squeezed in between Ryan and Esposito, and looked down at Kate. "Beckett, glad you're back, but these two, not to mention yourself, should be working at the moment."

"Sorry, sir." Kate said.

"So, what's the fuss about?"

"Beckett's engaged." Ryan said.

Montgomery glanced at Ryan, then looked back down at Kate. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yes. I am."

"Castle finally asked, then?"

Kate gave a disbelieving smile. "Yes, he did."

"Well, congratulations, Beckett. I hope it all goes well for you and Castle." He looked around. "Where is Castle, anyway?"

"Organising some things." Kate replied vaguely.

"Right." Montgomery looked at Ryan and Esposito. "Get back to work then."

"Yes, sir." They all replied, and Ryan and Esposito returned to their desks. Kate stayed behind her desk, intent on catching up on her paperwork.

**A/N: That's chapter one! :D And now, I must sleep... that's what happens when you write things at midnight... although it's closer to 1am at the moment. I keep making typing errors. I hate that. **

**Anyway, more soon. And, as the title suggests, more to do with Castle's secret scrapbook...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Two**

It was about midday, and Kate sat cross-legged on her bed, flipping through Rick's scrapbook. He'd dragged it out when Kate asked to see it. She smiled at the articles he'd pasted into the book. Flipping through brought back so many memories. One article in particular caught Kate's eye.

_Has Richard Castle found true love at last?_

_It seems when it comes to love, Richard Castle has thus far been unlucky. The famous crime novelist has been married twice, and has a daughter, Alexis. And now he has a new woman in his life. Detective Kate Beckett, of the NYPD, Castle's inspiration for his newest novels, and Castle have confirmed that they are in a relationship.  
"All I can say is I am extremely happy." Said Castle when asked about his new belle.  
"He's crazy." Says Beckett. "Maybe that's why he's so endearing."  
The couple have been spotted together on a number of occasions, starting with Castle's launch party for his first _Nikki Heat_ novel, _Heat Wave; _as well as the annual American Writers Black Tie Ball._

**10 months previous**

"You have to come, I don't wanna go alone. That's just sad." Rick whined to Kate over dinner at her apartment one night. He'd asked her to accompany him to another party, and Kate had said no.  
"But Castle, I don't do fancy dress balls." Kate replied.  
"You did well enough at that charity one we went to last year."  
"That was an op."  
Rick pouted. "But this is a couple's event. If you don't go, I'll be mobbed by young, attractive, single ladies all trying to get a piece of me."  
Kate rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine."  
"Fine as in you'll go with me?" Rick asked.  
"Yes, I'll go." Kate said, and Rick grinned happily.  
"Awesome. I'll get you a dress."  
"Rick!" Kate sounded exasperated. "You can't keep buying me dresses whenever you want to take me to a party."  
"Yes, I can." Rick replied.  
"I can buy my own clothes." Kate said.  
"Of that I am sure. But I still wanna buy you a dress."  
"Why? Why do you always want to buy me fancy dresses?"  
"Because..."  
"Is it because you think I can't afford to buy my own dresses?" Kate was getting mad now. "So you think you have to provide for me?"  
"No..."  
"Because you don't. I can provide for myself." Kate stood up, and stormed out of the dining room, towards her bedroom.  
Rick sighed, before standing up and following her to the bedroom. Kate was sitting cross-legged on her bed.  
"Go away, Castle." She said.  
"Kate, please let me explain."  
"What is there to explain? I don't need you to come in here and turn my life upside down and pretend you know what's best for me." Kate avoided eye contact with Rick.  
"I'm not trying to change your life drastically. I just want to make you happy." Rick said. "If you want to go and buy your own dress, then I won't stop you. I just enjoy buying you things that accentuate your beauty."  
Kate rolled her eyes, but relented, and looked up at Rick.  
"I'm sorry if you thought that I was trying to take away your independence, 'cause believe me, the independent you is the you I love."  
Kate gave a small smile. "I'm sorry, too." She said quietly. "I'm so used to being alone, that having someone else to make decisions with is... unusual. I'm still getting used to having you around all the time."  
Rick knelt on the bed in front of Kate. He leant forward and kissed her lightly. "Well, you've got time to get used to me. I'm not going anywhere."

**Present**

Kate sighed, recalling the argument she and Rick had had in the lead up to the American Writers Black Tie Ball. They'd had a few major arguments over the course of their almost year long relationship, as well as many minor arguments, and occasionally this would result in them not talking for a day or two. But they always managed to work things out. After their altercation about Rick always buying Kate dresses, he'd agreed to let her buy one for the Black Tie Ball. Kate smiled as she remembered the hassle she'd had trying to find a dress perfect enough.

**10 months previous**

"Lanie, I really need your help." Kate held her cell phone to her ear, as she stared at rack upon rack of ball gowns. "I need you to help me find a dress."  
"No problems. Where are you?"  
Kate gave Lanie the details of the shop she was in, and her friend had soon arrived.  
"I'm going to this ball with Castle, and I need something good." Kate said.  
"You want something to make Writer Boy freak?" Lanie asked.  
"Uh... yeah, I suppose." Kate replied.  
Lanie grinned, and started pulling dresses off the racks and dumping them in Kate's arms. She dragged Kate around, and finally they ended up at the fitting rooms.  
"Okay, try these first." Lanie pulled out three dresses, and took the rest away from Kate.  
Kate took the dresses Lanie offered, and ducked into the fitting rooms. She came out a little while later in a red dress. Lanie looked it over critically, and shook her head. Kate went back in to try on the other dresses. She tried on five before Lanie finally nodded.  
Kate's dress was a deep blue-green, halter neck, with a plunging backline. It was tight fitting around the waist, and flared out to swish around Kate's feet.  
"Honey, that is beautiful." Lanie said with a smile.  
Kate smiled, and looked down at the dress. "You think Rick'll like it?"  
"He won't be able to keep his eyes off you." Lanie replied.

**Present**

Well, that was certainly true. The ball had turned out much better than Kate had ever expected. Kate had gone along with the expectation that she would have a horrible night, surrounded by writers. However...

**10 months previous**

Rick's breathing hitched as he saw Kate standing in front of him, dressed in the most beautiful dress.  
"Wow, Kate." He said. "You look... fantastic."  
Kate blushed. "Thank you." Her eyes travelled over Rick's body too. He was dressed up in his tux. "You're not too bad yourself."  
Rick smiled and offered Kate his arm. "Shall we go?"  
Kate slipped her hand through the crook of Rick's arm and smiled up at him. "Let's."

Kate found the night to be quite enjoyable. Rick introduced her to many of his friends, and fellow writers.  
"So, Kate, are you having fun?" Rick asked, late in the evening.  
Kate grinned, taking another champagne. "Yes, actually, I am." She replied.  
"Richard Castle?" A voice came from behind them.  
Rick turned around.  
"I'm Alex Ronda." Said the woman. "I'm a reporter, and I was wondering if I could get a brief interview with you and Detective Beckett."  
Rick glanced at Kate, asking her permission silently. She nodded slightly. Rick turned back to Alex. "Sure."  
"First thing's first, everyone is dying to know, are you two a couple? Officially?" Alex asked.  
Rick grinned, and Kate smiled sweetly.  
"Yes, we are." Rick said. "And all I can say is I am extremely happy." He turned to Kate, and kissed her gently.  
"Do you have anything to say, Detective?" Alex asked.  
"Yeah. He's crazy." She nodded towards Rick. "Maybe that's why he's so endearing." She grinned.  
Rick chuckled, and kissed Kate again.

**Present**

"Hey, what are you up to?" Rick asked, entering their bedroom.  
Kate looked up and smiled. She held up the scrapbook. "Trip down memory lane." She replied.  
"Ah, that's always fun." Rick joined Kate on the bed, and started nuzzling at her neck. Kate giggled, and pushed the scrapbook aside. She shoved Rick back onto the bed, and straddled his hips, leaning down to kiss him. She ground herself against him.  
"Whoa, what's got into you?" Rick asked, his hands coming up to cup Kate's breasts through her shirt.  
"Like I said, memories. Brings back thoughts of other times..." Kate desperately tugged Rick's shirt off, followed by his pants and boxers. She rubbed herself along him, and he groaned. She reached down a rubbed him with one hand, the other slipping into her own pants.  
The sight made Rick harden even more, and he snapped. He flipped Kate so she was underneath him, and he quickly stripped her. As soon as she was naked, he slipped two fingers into her, and moved vigorously. She was writhing beneath him, and soon she came, calling his name. Rick withdrew his fingers, and flipped her onto her front, urging her onto her knees. He entered her from behind, and they both groaned at the sensation. Rick set up a rhythm and soon, they were both panting heavily. He leant over her, one hand circling around the cup a breast, the other reaching towards her clit, brushing lightly over it. Kate shuddered violently, and came again. The sensations she was causing around him, caused Rick to let go, emptying himself within her. He collapsed on top of her, and they lay trying to catch their breath.  
Rick pressed a kiss behind Kate's ear. "I love you." He whispered.  
"I love you too." Kate whispered back breathlessly. "But can you please get off me? I can't breathe."  
"Oh, sorry." Rick rolled off Kate, and pulled her close. He kissed the top of her head. "Well, if this is how you react to my scrapbook, feel free to read more of it. Any time. All the time, in fact." Rick grinned as Kate pulled back and punched him in the arm.

**A/N: :D Flashback! Anyway, more is coming. Soon. Wee! Right after I write it...**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please remember, I love reviews, and thank you to everyone who's already reviewed, and added the story to their story alerts and favourites. You're all awesome.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Three**

Kate crawled out of bed about two hours later. She pulled on some clothes, and smiled down at her fiancé. He mumbled something, and opened his eyes.  
"Going somewhere?" He asked.  
"Yeah, I'm going to go see Lanie." Kate replied. "I think she'd rather find out from me than a magazine." She smiled and leant down for a quick kiss. "I won't be gone long."  
Rick smiled. "Well, I'll see you when you get back, then."  
"Yeah." Kate kissed him again, and left the room, and the apartment. It didn't take long to get to the morgue, where Lanie was working. Kate let herself in, and soon found her friend cleaning up.  
"Hey, Lanie." Kate said, announcing her presence.  
"Kate." Lanie grinned as she turned around. "You're back!"  
"Yeah, we are."  
Lanie raised an eyebrow. "What's going on? Why aren't you with Writer Boy? Things not going well?"

"No. No! Things are just fine. Great, in fact." Kate couldn't suppress her grin.  
"What happened?" Lanie sounded suspicious.  
Kate's grin widened. "He proposed."  
"No way!"  
Kate nodded, holding out her hand to show Lanie the ring.  
"That's fantastic!" Lanie said, pulling Kate into a hug. "Congratulations!"  
"Thanks, Lanie." Kate replied, hugging her back.  
"When are you getting married?"  
"We haven't decided that yet. He only asked a few days ago." Kate replied. "But when I know, you'll know. I'm going to need you."  
"Yeah?" Lanie released Kate and looked curious.  
"Yeah. I need a maid of honour. Wanna be her?" Kate asked.  
Lanie grinned. "Of course! Thanks for asking."  
"No problems." Kate replied. She grinned again. "I'm so happy!" She exclaimed.  
"And so you should be!" Lanie replied. "He is quite a catch."  
Kate smiled absentmindedly. "He is."  
Lanie was still grinning. "If you need any help with anything at all, I'm here."  
"I know. Thanks Lanie." Kate replied. "Anyway, I should probably get going. I still have a few hours work to put in before the sun goes down."  
"Hmm. Are you going to let up on the work hours at all, now that you're getting married?" Lanie asked.  
"No. Why should I?" Kate replied. "He knows how much I work. He just has to accept that things aren't going to change much when I marry him."  
"You're right. He does know how much you work. And credit where credit's due, he does what he can to get you out of the precinct at more reasonable times than you used to leave." Lanie raised an eyebrow. "He's good for you. And your health."  
Kate chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Lanie." She gave her friend another hug, and smiled. "I've got to go. I'll see you soon."  
"Yes, you will. You won't be able to get rid of me." Lanie replied with another big grin. "And congratulations again."  
"Thank you." Kate left the morgue, and slowly made her way to the precinct to finish up some more paperwork.

Curled up next to Rick late that night, Kate couldn't sleep. So many thoughts were running through her mind. What sort of wedding? When? Where? What would she wear? All these questions played through her mind constantly. She yawned, and rubbed her eyes. Deciding that she wasn't going to get any sleep while she was this distracted, Kate slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen. She made herself a hot chocolate, and sat at the counter, drinking slowly.  
"Kate?" A tired voice broke through Kate's thoughts, and she turned.  
"Alexis. What are you doing up?" Kate asked.  
"I could ask you the same thing." Alexis replied with a smile.  
"Ah, well, I couldn't sleep." Kate said.  
"Got a lot on your mind?"  
"Heaps."  
"Weddings can be like that." Alexis said. She, like Kate, made herself a hot chocolate, then sat down next to Kate to drink it.  
"What are your thoughts?" Kate asked.  
"What do you mean?" Alexis replied.  
"About me marrying your dad. Does it bother you?"  
Alexis scoffed. "Bother me? Come on, Kate. Marrying you is probably the smartest thing my father is ever going to do."  
Kate smiled.  
"Plus, I like you." Alexis said simply. "You're good for this family. I'm glad you're marrying my dad."  
"Thanks, Alexis." Kate said quietly. "It means a lot that you've accepted me into your family."  
Alexis smiled up at Kate. "Besides, how many girls can say that their stepmom's a homicide detective?"  
Kate laughed. "Good point."  
"Hey, what are you two doing up? It's..." Rick walked in and checked his watch. "...Really early." He said.  
Kate and Alexis turned to him and smiled.  
"I couldn't sleep." Kate said.  
"I was thirsty." Alexis said.  
"And I'm tired." Rick said. "You coming back to bed any time soon?" He asked Kate.  
"Yeah. I think I can sleep now." Kate stood, put her mug in the sink, and smiled at Alexis.  
"Goodnight, Kate. Goodnight, Dad." Alexis said. She added her mug to the sink, and went back to bed.  
"Something wrong?" Rick asked.  
Kate shook her head. "No. Just got a lot on my mind."  
"Yeah, me too." Rick held out a hand, and Kate took it. "But I try to forget about it when I go to bed."  
"I wish I could. I do most of my thinking in bed."  
They began to make their way back to their bedroom.  
"Well, we'll just have to find a way to take your mind off things while you're in bed." Rick grinned cheekily, and scooped Kate up in his arms. He kissed her gently, and Kate laughed.  
"You are a funny man, Rick Castle." She said.  
"Yes, I am." He replied, kissing her again.

The next morning, Kate awoke alone. She stretched out and yawned, before slowly sitting up. She was rubbing her eyes when Rick walked in, carrying coffee and a plate of toast.  
"Morning." He said.  
"G'morning." Kate mumbled, accepting the cup of coffee and toast. After taking a few sips of coffee, she placed the cup down on the bedside table and began to eat her toast. Rick sat down on the bed next to her.  
"What's up?" Kate asked.  
"Oh, nothing." Rick replied. "I just like watching you."  
Kate scoffed, and continued to eat her breakfast.  
"What do you have planned for today?" Rick asked.  
"Going to the precinct, finish up my paperwork."  
"Can I come?"  
"Why? You wanna watch me do paperwork? I think by now you'd know that that's a little boring." Kate replied.  
"So? I like being around you. And Ryan and Esposito are entertaining." Rick answered.  
"It is not their job to entertain you." Kate said sternly. "It is your job to stay out of the way while we're working."  
"But that's no fun."  
"I'm a homicide detective, Castle. It's not meant to be fun." Kate pointed out.  
"Eh, good point, I suppose."  
Kate smiled up at him. "I'll only be gone a few hours. You can find something else to do, I'm sure."  
Rick sighed. "Fine, but it just won't be the same without you."  
Kate leant over and kissed him lightly. "You'll survive."

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've been experiencing an unfortunate and very irritating case of writer's block. Grr. Anyway, went to Waicon today. Which is an anime convention in Perth, Western Australia. It was awesome fun, and I can't wait to go again tomorrow. :D**

**As usual, I love reviews. Hopefully the next chapter is easier. It'll probably be another flashback of some sort. So, until then...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Four**

**A/N: Sorry for the massive delay. Stuff's going on, writer's block being insistent... but on the up side, Bones and Castle started tonight in Aus. :D So I'm feeling inspired to sit (or lie down) and actually write another chapter of **_**Scrapbook. **_**I hope you enjoy the latest instalment.**

Kate was sitting behind her desk, writing up reports, and trying not to fall asleep. After her late night jaunt to the kitchen, and then back to bed with Rick, she'd not had much sleep. She rubbed her eyes, and looked at the clock. It told her it was 1:27pm. Kate had been at work since 9:30am, and she'd completed nearly all of her paperwork. However, she was getting bored. There really was only so much paperwork you could do in one day, and she was nearing the end of that amount. She cast an eye around the bullpen, eyeing Ryan's empty desk. He'd gone out to grab some lunch for himself, Kate and Esposito. That was almost an hour ago.  
"Hey, Esposito." Kate called out, getting the attention of the other man.  
"Yeah?"  
"Any word from Ryan? He's been gone a while."  
Esposito pulled out his phone and checked for messages. He shook his head. "Nothing."  
Kate sighed, and stood up, stretching her legs. She walked over to Esposito's desk. "How's your paperwork coming?"  
"Actually, I finished all the important stuff yesterday. We really need another case before I go stir crazy." Esposito replied.  
"I agree." Kate said. She leaned on Esposito's desk and they stayed in relative silence for about five minutes, which is when Ryan finally arrived. He came in with a bag of food in one hand, and brandishing a magazine in the other. He dumped the food on Esposito's desk and grinned.  
"What is it, Ryan?" Kate asked.  
Excitedly, Ryan began to read. "_After months of speculation, confirmation has finally come. One of New York's most famous couples has announced their engagement. Author Richard Castle has confirmed that he and NYPD Homicide Detective Kate Beckett have been recently engaged, and says that they are both very happy. No date has been set as yet for the wedding, but Castle says it will be sooner rather than later."  
_Ryan passed the magazine to Kate, who looked down at the front cover, and found herself staring at a picture of herself and Castle at the Writer's Black Tie Ball. She smiled. "Where did you find this?" She asked.  
"It's not exactly hard to find." Ryan replied. "What with the blown up version gracing every news stand in the city."  
Kate groaned. Great, giant pictures of her everywhere. If she had any anonymity, it was well and truly gone now.

At 5:30pm, Kate packed up her things, and left the precinct, taking the magazine with her. She went home, and sank down onto her bed. Pulling out Rick's scrapbook, she opened it to the last page, and smiled. Rick had beaten her to it. The latest article already glued in, along with all the included pictures.  
"You've seen it, then?"  
Kate turned, and smiled at her fiancé.  
Rick stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, arms crossed. He smiled back, before entering the room, to come and sit beside Kate on the bed.  
"Sooner rather than later, huh?" Kate asked.  
"Yeah. They wanted an answer as to when the wedding was going to be. That's the most vague I could make it."  
Kate placed her hand on Rick's cheek, and kissed his lips gently. "I like sooner rather than later." She said.  
"That's good. I was kinda hoping you would." Rick replied.  
"We should decide on a date, I suppose." Kate said.  
"Hey, there's no rush. Whenever you're ready."  
"Oh, it's up to me, is it?" Kate asked, a small grin gracing her features.  
"I'd marry you tomorrow if I could." Rick replied. "So yeah, just let me know when you're ready."  
Kate gave a small nod. "Okay."  
"How was work?" Rick asked, changing the subject.  
"Boring." Kate replied. "Paperwork is tedious. What I wouldn't give for a case..."  
"Even though it mean's someone's died?"  
"Yeah..." Kate said. "But the sad fact is people die. People are murdered every day, and it's my job to catch the people responsible. Which I can't do if all the cases are booted to other precincts. I mean, come on, I wasn't gone for very long, and suddenly we have nothing to do except paperwork."  
"Could be worse." Rick said.  
"How?"  
"Could have no cases and no paperwork. Then what would you do?"  
Kate shrugged. "Go wedding dress shopping."  
Rick chuckled. "Shopping over work. Even for a wedding dress. I can't imagine that."  
"Laugh all you like, Castle. It's going to happen sooner or later." Kate grinned. "You really are stuck with me now."  
Rick grinned, and pushed Kate back onto the bed, causing her to giggle. He started tickling her, and soon she was gasping for breath in between bouts of giggles.  
"Stop... stop!" She gasped, but Rick kept tickling. Eventually, Kate was able to regain a little bit of self control. Not much, but enough to flip them, so she was straddling Rick's waist. She pinned his arms down. She was breathing heavily, her chest heaving, and she shook her head at Rick, while laughing and trying to catch her breath. "You are impossible." She said.  
"I try." Rick replied with a grin.  
Kate leant down and kissed him passionately. He responded eagerly, his tongue exploring the depths of her mouth. Kate moaned against him, and loosened the grip on his arms. Rick used the advantage, and wrapped his arms around Kate, drawing her close.  
"I love you." He whispered between kisses. He started on her jaw, moving down towards her chest, and Kate arched into him.  
"I love you too." She whispered back.  
There was a sudden noise from elsewhere in the apartment. A door opening and closing, and Kate reluctantly crawled off Rick.  
"Alexis is home." She said.  
Rick nodded. "Yes. She is." He was still lying on his back, breathing heavily, and looking up at Kate with lust filled eyes.  
Kate smiled and shook her head. "Not now."  
Rick pouted. "Come on, she won't care."  
"Please, she thinks it's gross. Her dad having sex is not something she particularly wants to walk in on."  
"We'll lock the door."  
Kate got off the bed and stood up. She leant down and gave Rick a quick kiss. "Later." She promised, before she left the room to go and greet her future stepdaughter.

**A/N: Okay, little tired now. Hope this was enjoyable. Please review. :D**

**I'm going to Albany today, so I get to visit my parents. Which is awesome. :D It also means I might have time to actually sit and think about writing more of this story. Which I very much want to do, 'cause I like it. I hope you do too.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Five**

They were in luck. A case was sent their way the next day, and Rick, Kate, Ryan and Esposito found themselves, once again, deep in a mystery. Rick was being his usual irritating self, and generally getting in the way of Kate as she worked. Eventually...  
"Castle! Go away!"  
Rick looked up in shock at his fiancée. "Go away?"  
"Yes. You're getting on my nerves and making it impossible for me to concentrate on the case." Kate replied. "Just... go home. Please. If I need your help, I'll call."  
"Right. Okay." Rick stood up and turned to leave.  
"Rick..."  
He turned.  
"I'm sorry."  
"No, I understand." He leant over and gave Kate a small peck on the lips, and then he was gone.  
Kate sighed, and dropped her head into her hands. She may have wanted a case, but it certainly frazzled her nerves, and was causing her to lash out.  
"Hey, Beckett. You okay?" Ryan had arrived back at the precinct with a bag of donuts.  
"Yeah." Kate said, looking up. "Fine. What have you got?"  
He held up the donuts. "Chocolate glazed."  
Kate spared him a brief smile. "I meant the case."  
"Oh, well. The vic worked at the donut shop downtown. Manager said he stopped showing about a week ago. And he had a girlfriend."  
"Okay. Follow up on the girlfriend." Kate said. She eyed the bag.  
Ryan got the hint and offered the donuts to Kate, who found one that looked good. She ate in silence.

She got home late that night. Kate found Rick sprawled out on their bed, asleep, his precious scrapbook open beside him. Kate crawled onto the bed next to him and glanced down at the article the page was open to.

_Unlikely duo solves again_

_NYPD's finest are getting help from a very unlikely source. Author Richard Castle and Detective Kate Beckett are fast becoming one of the city's best crime fighting pair. With Castle's help, Detective Beckett and her team have been able to solve more homicides than any other precinct over the past year. The pairing combines the expertise and insights of noted crime novelist Castle, and street savvy detective Beckett. However, all may not be well between the pair, with reports of a separation. While Castle is currently writing a new novel based upon Detective Beckett, he is apparently not spending much time with her. Rumours abound of romance gone wrong, although both Castle and Beckett claim not to be in a relationship with each other. Now, only time will tell, will this eclectic pair put aside their differences, and kiss and make up?_

Kate remembered this article. It was not a fond memory, and she found herself wondering why Castle would choose to keep this one in his scrapbook. While it was all in the past, and played a strong role in why they were so close now, Kate didn't like to think about that time. _Touch my mom's case and you and I are done._ It was so close to becoming the permanent truth. If Castle hadn't come back to her, looking for forgiveness, they wouldn't be where they were now. She wouldn't be engaged to him, and she would be back to being a detective with no one to wind down with. Her job was stressful, but he made it slightly more bearable.  
"Hey."  
Kate looked over at Rick. "Hey." She replied.  
Rick just looked up at her, then glanced at the scrapbook. "Ah. That..."  
"It's okay. It's part of our history." Kate replied. "I'm sorry for today. I'd... almost forgotten how wound up I can get over a case."  
"I don't blame you." Rick replied. "You get wound up because you care. And if you didn't care... well, you'd probably be better off being a florist or something."  
Kate snorted. "A florist. Yeah, I can just imagine that!"  
Rick grinned up at Kate. "You're a really good detective, Kate."  
"Thank you." She replied, and she leant down to kiss him.  
"I still love you, even though you're sometimes a jerk." Rick whispered between kisses.  
"I still love you, even though you're a know-it-all who's always convinced he's right." Kate mumbled back.  
"Whatever." Rick murmured, and he pulled Kate down towards him. He held her tight. "I really do love you." He murmured.  
"And I really do love you." Kate whispered back.  
"I'm sorry for getting on your nerves." Rick said softly.  
"I'm sorry for snapping at you when you get on my nerves. I should learn to be more patient with you, especially seeing as I'm going to marry you." Kate replied.  
Rick grinned up at her, one of his lopsided, genuinely happy grins.  
Kate smiled back, and kissed him again.  
A knock at the door broke the moment.  
"Yeah?" Rick called.  
Alexis poked her head in through the door, and smiled at the sight of Kate wrapped in Rick's arms. "I just got home, thought I'd let you know before I went to bed."  
"Thanks, kiddo." Rick said. He smiled at his daughter. "You gonna come say goodnight properly?"  
Alexis gave a small smile as she slipped into the room.  
Pulling away from Rick, Kate allowed him to give his daughter a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. Kate loved being witness to the relationship between Richard Castle and his daughter. It was one thing she'd never expected before she'd met him, back when she was just another fan. Sure, she knew he had Alexis, but until she'd walked up to them at the launch for his last Derek Storm book, and walked into his life, she'd had no idea about the depth of their relationship. And she loved it.  
Suddenly Kate was engulfed in a hug from Alexis, and with a smile, Kate hugged the girl back. Alexis kissed her on the cheek, and pulled back.  
"Goodnight, Kate." She said with a smile. "Goodnight, Dad."  
"Goodnight, Alexis." Kate replied.  
"Night." Rick replied.  
Alexis skipped from the room, and Kate turned to Rick. "She really is an awesome kid."  
"Yeah, she is." Rick replied.  
"I think I'll enjoy being her stepmom." Kate said quietly.  
"I think you'll be her best stepmom ever." Rick replied.  
"Ha, and she has previous experience with that." Kate pointed out.  
"Exactly." Rick replied. "Means she'll know you're the best."  
Kate rolled her eyes, but leant back into Rick. His arms encircled her, and Kate closed her eyes. She was asleep within five minutes.  
Rick gently laid her down, and tucked her in. He kissed her forehead, and then lay down himself. He was asleep almost straight away.

**A/N: Man, sorry for the delay. I've been caught up with writing a Mentalist fanfic. I have all these ideas mushing together in my head, and it's really hard to write them all down individually with the right fandom. Perhaps I ship too many things... Nah, where would I be without my ships? :D**

**I have an idea for the next chapter at least, and hopefully that will lead to more, and soon. University has started, so that makes me quite busy. It means at least 2 hours spent on a bus every day. Not fun. But at least a bunch of my friends from school are at the same uni, so we catch up a lot.**

**Anyway, A Rose for Everafter was on tonight in Aus. I must say I enjoyed it immensely. Especially Rick getting Alexis to tie him up... then the phone ringing. I laughed so hard at that. :D I also loved the 'not asking very loudly' recall. Yay for callbacks :D**

**So, enough rambling on my part, hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Review, please :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Six**

_Trouble In Paradise?_

All may not be well in the Castle household. With no date currently being set for the much anticipated wedding of Richard Castle and Kate Beckett, rumours are starting to circulate that perhaps not everything is going as planned between the couple. Since the couple announced their engagement six months ago, they haven't been pictured together as often as before they were engaged, and fights have apparently become more abundant. So what does this mean for the pair? Well, ladies, Richard Castle might be back on the bachelor's list soon.

Kate slammed down the newspaper one morning, and turned to look at her fiancé. "Have you read this?" She demanded.  
Rick looked up and nodded. "Yeah."  
"Where the hell do they get these stupid ideas? 'Fights have become more abundant'? We don't fight that often!" Kate sighed, leaning back into the couch in the living room. "This is all because we haven't set a wedding date. Come on, it's only been six months! Do they just expect us to get married right away? Geez, no wonder celebrities get divorced so often."  
Rick raised an eyebrow.  
"I mean, not you... I... you know what I mean!" Kate sat up again and looked up at Rick. "I'm sorry. They wouldn't be printing this stuff about you if I could just decide when we should get married."  
"Hey, don't stress." Rick said. "I learnt a long time ago not to be bothered by what reporters write about me. You need to learn that too." Rick placed a hand on one of Kate's. "I love you. And no matter how long it takes, I'm sticking with you."  
Kate smiled at Rick. "Thanks." She leant closer and gave him a sweet kiss. "I love you."  
"So. Six months, huh?" Rick asked. "Still wanna marry me?"  
"Of course! How could you ask that?" Kate was suddenly defensive. She pulled away. "What, do you think that I'm going to change my mind? I thought we'd gone through this before. I choose you, no one else."  
Rick reached out and pulled Kate close. "I was joking, sweetheart. And I'm not going to choose anyone else, either."  
"You'd better not." Kate mumbled into Rick's chest.  
Rick pulled Kate away slightly, and kissed her again. His tongue traced the edges of Kate's lips, and she closed her eyes, and opened her mouth to him. Their tongues met, and Kate moaned into Rick's mouth. Rick lifted Kate slightly, so her hips were aligned with his, his erection pressing against her.  
"Bedroom?" He murmured.  
"Sure." Kate replied, and Rick lifted her off the floor, carrying her towards their bedroom.  
Kate was thankful that Alexis was at a friend's house, and that Martha was out. She wasn't entirely sure where the other woman was, but at the moment, she didn't care.  
Rick laid her down on their bed, and was on top of her in a moment. Her shirt, actually his, was quickly discarded, and his hands were running over her bare skin. Kate shivered as Rick's hands ghosted over the undersides of her breasts, and she arched her back into his touch. Rick kissed her passionately, and Kate responded eagerly. Rick's lips left hers, and trailed down the side of her neck to her breasts, were he licked, nipped and sucked. Eventually, Kate needed more, and she flipped them over, straddling Rick's thighs. She stripped his shirt from his body, and flung it to the floor. His pants followed, and Kate grinned evilly, before taking him in her mouth. Rick's eyes rolled shut, and his head fell back onto the bed as Kate moved. He could feel himself getting close, so he finally pulled Kate away, and rolled them so he was above her again.  
"I love you." He murmured against Kate's neck, as he slowly entered her.  
"I love you." Kate whispered back, as Rick pulled out and pushed back in.  
He picked up a rhythm, and Kate matched him for every thrust. They were beyond cognitive thought, and the only sounds that filled the room was their breathing, and the sounds of their bodies coming together. Kate came first, shuddering as her release coursed through her. Her legs were tightly wrapped around Rick's waist, and she urged him to keep moving, to reach his own release. Eventually he stiffened, and climaxed within her.  
They lay quietly afterwards, catching their breath. Kate had her fingers tangled with Rick's, and she smiled to herself. He really was a remarkable man.  
Rick gently kissed Kate's neck, and then extricated himself from her so he could get dressed.  
"Sorry." He said. "I promised I'd pick up Alexis this morning."  
"I know." Kate smiled up at him. "I'll be at the precinct when you get back."  
"Okay." Rick pulled on some pants, and then leant down to give Kate a proper kiss. "I love you."  
"Love you, too." Kate replied, and she watched as Rick pulled a clean shirt from his dresser, and left the room.  
Kate sighed happily, and lay for awhile. Finally, she pulled herself out of bed, and got dressed.

Talking to the loved ones of murder victims was something Kate never enjoyed. Too much emotion, too much pain. Too many memories. Every time she spoke to a husband, a wife, a daughter, a son. She could remember all too well the horror and pain they were feeling. But she did her best to suppress that, and focus on the person in front of her. In this case, it was a young woman, whose fiancé had been murdered. The woman, almost still a girl, had tear streaked cheeks and she looked up at Kate through heavy eyes.  
"He's gone. I'll never marry him now." She paused. "I'll never see him again. What do I do? How do I..." She trailed off.  
"Miss Foster..."  
"Stephanie, please."  
"Stephanie... there's really nothing I can say that will make this easier. But I will do my absolute best to find whoever is responsible for the death of your fiancé." Kate reached out and placed a hand gently on the other woman's.  
"I... I always said, 'I'm not quite ready,' or, 'I need a bit more time.' I never got my act together to set a date." Stephanie looked at Kate, more tears appearing in her blue eyes. "He probably died thinking I didn't really want to marry him."  
"I'm sure he didn't think that." Kate said.  
"What would you think? We were engaged a year and a half last week." Stephanie pulled her hand away from Kate's to run a finger over her engagement ring. "All he wanted was to marry me, and I kept putting it off."  
"I am going to do all that I can to find Mick's killer." Kate said. "But I'm sure that he knew you loved him."  
"Thank you, detective." Stephanie said quietly. She bit her lip, then asked, "You're engaged, right?"  
"Uh, yeah." Kate replied.  
Stephanie nodded. "Good luck."  
"Thank you." Kate replied, frowning a little.  
"I hope yours ends better than mine." And with that, she was gone, leaving a very thoughtful detective behind.

Kate lay awake the next night, while Rick slept. He was curled up at her side, one arm draped across her body. Kate loved the feel of having him there, just for the comfort it provided. She looked over at Rick and smiled. She'd been thinking about marriage a lot in the last six months, but even more over the last day. Ever since Stephanie Foster had left the day before, Kate had been contemplating.  
She sighed, and Rick opened an eye.  
" 'Sup?" He mumbled.  
"I've been thinking." Kate replied.  
"Ah. 'Bout?"  
Kate could tell she'd woken him up. "It's not important, go back to sleep." She pressed a kiss to his forehead. "We can talk in the morning."  
"I'm awake now." Rick said. He propped himself up on one elbow, head in hand.  
"Well... Do you ever think that I might not want to marry you because I haven't set a date yet?" Kate asked tentatively.  
"No. What gives you that idea?" Rick looked shocked.  
"I was talking to the fiancée of the vic yesterday. Just something she said got me thinking."  
Rick leaned forward, and kissed Kate gently. "I know you love me. And for now, that's enough."  
Kate smiled. "You can be really sweet sometimes." She said.  
Rick smiled back. "I know."  
Kate chuckled. "Modest, too."  
Rick brushed some hair from Kate's eyes.  
"I've made a decision."  
"Oh? What about?" Rick looked curious.  
"I'm ready." She said.  
"Ready?"  
"To marry you." Kate said, as though it should have been obvious.  
"To marry me? Really?"  
"Yes. I wouldn't say so otherwise. You know me."  
"Yes, I do, Detective Beckett. I know you very well." Rick's face broke into a grin. "And now I get to see you in wedding planner mode!"  
"Don't get your hopes up, Castle. You're going to be doing as much, if not more organising than I am." Kate gave a sly smile. "And I think I can sleep now. Goodnight."  
"Night." Replied the slightly dumbfounded writer, as his fiancée curled up next to him and fell asleep. Rick chuckled to himself. Kate was definitely a unique woman.

**A/N: Sucker Punch was on tonight in Aus! So good! Loved it so much. Can't wait for Wednesday, Castle season one is finally out on dvd, and Heat Wave is out too. I'm so getting both on Wednesday. And then can't wait til next Sunday for more Castle! I just LOVE this show.**

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little insight into the lives of Richard Castle and Kate soon-to-be-Castle Beckett. :D

Reviews are definitely welcome.


	7. Chapter 7

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Seven**

Suddenly Kate was thrust into the world of being a bride. Martha, Alexis and Lanie were all eager to help, and wedding plans were coming along smoothly. Rick and Kate had decided on a date three months from when Kate had said she was ready. It was now a month and a half later, and everything was in full swing. Kate was having a dress designed for her, paid for by Rick. Kate had decided not to object to that, if he wanted to buy her wedding dress, she'd let him, just so long as it stayed hidden from him until the wedding. Martha and Alexis were busy planning the wedding ceremony and the reception. Lanie was helping when she wasn't busy with her ME duties. Kate and her team continued to clear cases and work productively at the precinct, but Kate was beginning to feel a little useless. Her wedding, something, though she'd never tell Rick this, that she'd always thought about, was being planned for her, and not by her.  
"Martha, can I have a word?" Kate asked one day as Martha and Alexis were busy sorting out caterers.  
"Sure, kiddo. What's up?" The older woman asked.  
"I feel a bit... I don't know... useless? I appreciate all that you're doing for me, but I feel as though I'm not involved in planning my own wedding. And I'd like to be." Kate said. "I want to do something, I want something that I can remember being mine, that I did."  
Martha nodded. "I get that. We were just trying to make it easier for you."  
"I know this is my first marriage, but I don't plan on getting married again, and I'd really like to have a hand in the planning process."  
Martha grinned. "What do you want to do?"  
"Well, whatever needs doing, I guess." Kate replied.  
"How about you start organising tables for the reception?" Martha asked. "That's always a time consuming job, but it helps if the person doing it knows all the guests."  
They'd decided on a relatively small wedding, inviting only close family and friends. No media. They hired a private photographer, and would release a small number of photos to the media, but preferred that the paparazzi not be at the wedding itself.  
Kate sat down on the couch next to Martha, who handed her a guest list, and a chart of tables.  
"We have about 50 people, and six tables." Martha said. "Divide them up however you'd like."  
Kate nodded, and looked down at the list. She and Rick, obviously, were at the top. She jotted down their names on the table at the front, along with Martha, Alexis, her father Jim, Lanie, Ryan and his girlfriend, Esposito and Captain Montgomery. She checked their names off the list, and started divvying up the rest of the guests.  
About an hour later, Kate put down her pen and surveyed her chosen seating arrangements. Occasionally she'd had to move people so they were not with people they didn't get along with, or so they were with their partner. Overall, she was satisfied with the arrangements, and if the guests weren't... well, that was their problem. They weren't the ones getting married. She and Rick were. She smiled to herself.  
"Done?" Martha asked.  
"Yep." Kate replied, handing the plan to Martha.  
"Looks good." Martha said, after a quick scan.  
Kate smiled at her future mother in law.  
"You nervous at all?" Martha asked.  
"Not really." Kate replied. "It's as though I know I'm making the right decision. And I'm looking forward to this new chapter in my life."  
"That's the way to think about it." Martha said with a smile. "And Rick knows that too. I think he finally knows what he's been missing out on. You really are perfect for him. You create the right balance, and you complement each other brilliantly."  
"Thanks, Martha." Kate said quietly.  
"No problems, kiddo. Besides, you'll make a fantastic daughter in law, and a fabulous stepmom." Martha pulled Kate into a hug, and Kate reciprocated, smiling to herself.

Dress fittings happened every few weeks, up until two weeks before the wedding, when it was finally finished, and ready for Kate to get married in. Kate was admiring the dress as she stood in front of the full view mirrors, gazing at herself. Alexis, Martha and Lanie all watched on too.  
"Damn, girl, that is beautiful!" Lanie exclaimed, walking around Kate in a circle to admire it from every angle.  
"Lanie's right." Alexis said. "You look gorgeous. Dad is going to be speechless when he sees you."  
"Well, that's what I was going for." Kate replied with a cheeky grin. She ran a hand down the fabric on the front of her dress, and gave a little sigh.  
"What's wrong?" Alexis asked.  
"Oh, nothing." Kate said, turning to give the girl a reassuring smile. "I just never thought I'd ever be marrying Richard Castle."  
Martha gave Kate's shoulders a squeeze. "Well, I'm glad you are, dear."  
"Thank you, Martha." Kate said.  
"I'm glad, too." Alexis said. "You and Dad are so..." She gave a little smile, purely Alexis, "Perfect." She concluded.  
Kate chuckled. "So I've been told." She looked back at the mirror. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I might change back into my normal clothes."  
Alexis and Martha nodded, and left Lanie to help Kate out of the dress.  
"She's right, you know." Lanie said. "Alexis, I mean. You and Castle go together so well." She smiled warmly at her friend. "Can I say 'I told you so' now?"  
Kate laughed. "Sure, Lanie." She said.  
"Good. I told you so." Lanie sounded particularly smug.  
Kate smiled, and stepped out of her dress. She pulled on her other clothes, and then they left the store.

"How was your dress fitting?" Rick asked that night as he and Kate lay in each other's arms.  
"Pretty good." Kate replied vaguely. She was tracing random patterns on one of Rick's arms.  
"Just pretty good?" Rick couldn't help himself, he wanted details.  
Kate looked up at him, and gave a small smile. "You're not going to get to see my dress until I walk down the aisle in two weeks."  
Rick grumbled, but pressed a kiss to the top of Kate's head. "I can't wait." He mumbled.  
"Nor can I." Kate replied. She leant closer, and kissed Rick gently. "Never thought I'd be marrying you." She said.  
"No?"  
"No." Kate confirmed. "Come on, you were this big, famous writer. Who was I? When I started reading your books, an 18 year old girl. You were this mysterious author, whose world I could lose myself in. I never dreamt I'd even meet you, let alone fall in love with you." Kate paused. "Or that you'd fall in love with me."  
"You know, you walked into my laugh at the perfect time." Rick said. "Do you remember the night we met?"  
"Of course."  
"Here I was telling Alexis that I was bored, that I wanted someone to walk up to me and say something new." Rick grinned. "And there you were, Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD, wanting to ask some questions about a homicide. Alexis just plucked the pen from my hand and said 'That's new.' Perfect timing." Rick gave Kate a kiss. "Believe me, falling in love with you was not something I planned. But I couldn't help myself. You really were the perfect inspiration for a new character, and as I researched for Nikki Heat, it became harder and harder not to imagine her as you, and Rook as me, and wish that something would happen. In a way, I wrote the story of what I wanted from us."  
"I guess you got it then." Kate murmured.  
"All that, and more." Rick replied. "You've made my life amazing. Wonderful. Perfect."  
Kate relaxed further into Rick's arms, and let him hold her. "You've made my life pretty good, too." She said, feigning indifference.  
"Pretty good?" Rick sounded suspicious.  
"Okay, better than pretty good." Kate replied. "Pretty fantastic."  
"That's more like it." Rick whispered against Kate's neck.  
"Yeah?"  
"Yeah. I love you."  
"I love you." Kate pulled away so she could roll over and kiss Rick properly. "Forever." She promised.  
"Forever." Rick promised in return. "You are mine, and I am yours. Forever." He whispered against Kate's lips, before he claimed them again.

**A/N: Well, wedding's approaching, then. Shouldn't be too much longer. Thanks for the reviews guys, I love getting feedback. I spent a while tonight trying to design a dress for Kate, but it's difficult. I'm better at visualising things than drawing them, but sometimes I need a picture drawn so I can visualise better. So I have a picture drawn. I'll post it and leave the link in the author's note in the next chapter.**

Thanks for reading this chapter, hope you enjoyed it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Eight**

Despite Kate's protests, Lanie had organised a hen's night for two nights before the wedding. Lanie, along with Martha and some of Kate's other female friends, had set up Lanie's apartment, and now, everyone was standing around, looking expectantly at Kate.  
"What?" She asked, looking around at all her friends.  
"Well, it's your party." Lanie replied with a grin. "But seeing as you don't seem to be very into it, we'll get the ball rolling."  
Martha pulled out some bottles of wine, and it made its way around the room, everyone taking a glass.  
Kate sighed, and helped herself to a glass as well.  
"So, how does it feel, knowing that you're marrying THE Richard Castle in two days?" Lanie asked.  
"I feel no different now to when I first agreed to marry him." Kate replied. "I'm excited." She smiled happily.  
Martha put an arm around Kate's shoulders, holding her close. "And you get me as a mother in law." She pointed out.  
"Oh yes." Kate grinned at the other woman. "That's really why I'm marrying Castle." She said in a conspiratorial whisper, causing everyone to laugh.  
The party kicked off after that, and there was loud music, lots of alcohol, and Kate finally needed a break. She slipped out into the hall and found a secluded corner on the roof. She sat down, and pulled out her mobile. Rick was at his bachelor's party tonight as well, but somehow Kate knew that if she called, he'd pick up. So she did. She only had to wait through three rings before Rick's chirpy voice sounded through the phone.  
"Heya, gorgeous." Rick said.  
"Hey." Kate replied.  
"How's it going?"  
"Well..." Kate thought for a bit. "It's a fun party, but I'm wishing I was alone with you instead."  
"Sam here." Rick replied. "I have so many guys in the apartment that it's hard to keep track of what's actually going on. Alexis snuck out a few hours ago. Remember how she was all gung ho about staying in her room all night?"  
Kate chuckled. "Yeah."  
"Yeah. Lasted about an hour before she'd had enough of the rowdy behaviour. She's at a friend's instead."  
"Smart girl." Kate commented.  
"Yep."  
There was a moment of silence on the line, both caught in thoughts.  
Eventually Kate sighed.  
"Tired?" Rick asked.  
"Very." Kate replied. "I don't think they even noticed when I left the party."  
It was Rick's turn to chuckle. "With all the alcohol at our place, I would be surprised if they noticed I was gone. You should see Ryan."  
Kate raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"  
"Well, he was trying his hardest not to do anything, you know, stupid, on account of his girlfriend and all."  
"But...?" Kate prompted.  
"But... Esposito got some vodka in him. He's been dancing around like a ballerina for the last ten minutes or so."  
Kate smiled, visualising Ryan twirling around.  
"Hey, I have an idea." Rick said.  
"Yeah?"  
"Yeah. Meet up at the precinct in 15 minutes?"  
"Sure." Kate replied.  
"Cool. See you then."  
"See you soon."  
"Love you."  
"Love you, too."  
Kate hung up the phone, and then contemplated her next challenge: leaving without anyone noticing.

Rick greeted Kate with a brief kiss on the lips.  
"Was it hard to get away?" He asked.  
"Not really." Kate replied. "I just went in, grabbed my coat, and left. They were karaoke-ing when I left."  
Rick laughed. "Typical."  
"Easiest time to sneak out, when there's plenty of alcohol, and karaoke."  
Rick slung an arm over Kate's shoulders. "Well, now that we're together, I have somewhere I want to take you."  
"Oh yeah?"  
"Yep."  
"Where?"  
"It's a surprise." Rick pulled Kate close and kissed the top of her head. "You'll love it."  
"Okay." Kate replied. "Lead on."

They ended up in Central Park. Though Kate had been here many times, it was different at night, and it was different with Rick. They walked through the dark, dimly lit park, hand in hand, enjoying the silence.  
"It really is beautiful." Kate said quietly.  
"Yes it is." Rick said. He had his fingers intertwined with Kate's, and his thumb was caressing hers.  
They found a spot in the grass and, after Rick spread out his coat, sat down. Eventually, exhaustion caught up with Kate, and she fell asleep in Rick's arms. Rick lay down gently, supporting Kate the whole way, and shut his eyes. He didn't intend to fall asleep.

They woke they next morning to the sounds of the city waking up. The sun was rising, and birds were emerging. Kate woke first, bolting upright, rubbing her eyes. She turned and looked down at her sleeping companion.  
"Rick." She said.  
No response.  
"Rick!" She was louder this time.  
Still nothing.  
"Castle!" She snapped.  
Rick's eyes flew open. "Huh?"  
"Good morning." She said pointedly.  
Rick sat up slowly, and looked around. "Ah. Oops."  
"Oops? You let me fall asleep in Central Park, and then fell asleep yourself?"  
"I wasn't going to fall asleep!" Rick protested. "I was just resting my eyes..."  
Kate shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Of course you were." She wasn't really annoyed, but she did enjoy teasing.  
"Promise!"  
"Geez, there you go, sounding like a kid again. Remind me again why I'm marrying a twelve year old?"  
Rick raised an eyebrow. "'Cause you love said twelve year old." He gave her one of his crooked smiles, and Kate had to smile back. She leant forward and gave him a soft kiss.  
"Now," she said, "I think we should probably get home. We probably have quite a bit of cleaning to do."  
Rick nodded his agreement. He stood, and then held out a hand, and pulled Kate to her feet. He pulled her into a hug.  
"For what it's worth, I'm so happy I'm marrying you tomorrow." He whispered.  
"So am I." Kate replied. "I can't wait." She pulled back, and slipped her hand into Rick's. "But let's get through today first."  
"Mmm hmm." Rick replied, and together the future Mr and Mrs Castle headed home.****

A/N:

.com/art/Beckett-s-Dress-156696316

**As promised, Kate's wedding dress. :D I did a better copy today (the one in the link), so I think it's a bit better to see what's going on than in the original, which, truthfully, was more of a scribble to get an idea of what she was going to wear.**

And as for this chapter, I wanted something not so serious, and something that would make me smile. I hope this made you smile, too. :)

Reviews are 3


	9. Chapter 9

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Nine**

A/N: Apparently the link doesn't work properly in chapter 8, so if you go to this site: www(dot)snotele(dot)deviantart(dot)com and go to my gallery, it's called 'Beckett's Dress.' :D Anyway, onto the story...

True to Kate's prediction, the apartment was a mess. There were empty bottles, and empty chip packets, and dirty dishes everywhere. The lounge room also contained two fast asleep detectives.  
Kate cleared her throat, and waited for them to wake up.  
Ryan awoke first, sitting upright so fast he slumped back down again, immediately bringing a hand to his head. He groaned.  
Esposito was a little slower to wake, but he wisely didn't sit up. "Hey, Beckett." He said.  
Kate raised an eyebrow. "You're own beds not comfortable enough?" She asked.  
"Huh?" Ryan frowned up at Kate.  
She rolled her eyes. "Why did you spend the night on the floor of our apartment?" She asked slowly, and deliberately.  
Ryan looked sheepish. "Uh, we may have had a little too much to drink."  
"A little?" Kate asked.  
"Well..."  
"Dude." Esposito said, with a miniscule shake of his head.  
"What, Esposito?" Kate inquired.  
"Uh..."  
Kate stared down at him.  
"Well..."  
"Okay, look, I don't care. But seeing as you're both here, you can help us clean up!" Kate loved putting them to work.  
"But my head hurts!" Ryan protested.  
"Should've thought about that before you drank too much and crashed on the lounge room floor. Get up. Now."  
Grumbling, Ryan and Esposito slowly got up off the floor.  
"Good, that's a start. Okay, Ryan, Esposito, you guys can clean up in here; Castle, kitchen. I'll collect dishes for you, and I'll do the bathrooms and anywhere else there may be rubbish and crap. Everyone clear on what they're doing?" Kate surveyed her troops. They all nodded. "Great, let's get this cleaned up before Martha and Alexis get home."  
"Yes, boss." They all murmured.  
Kate left Ryan and Esposito in the room, and Rick followed her out.  
"Nicely done." He said. "Except I feel like I'm in trouble too. Why is that?"  
"You're not in trouble." Kate said, turning around to face Rick. "But this place really does need cleaning up. I need clean space tomorrow so I can get ready without wrecking my dress."  
"Okay." Rick said. "I see."  
Kate reached up and kissed Rick softly. "And then I get to marry you." She said quietly.  
"Now that's something to look forward to." Rick said, smiling. He kissed Kate, before disappearing into the kitchen.

Martha arrived mid morning, and immersed herself in helping to clean up. The house was clean by the time Alexis got home, in the late afternoon. Ryan and Esposito had left, and it was just Rick, Kate, Martha and Alexis.  
"So, Richard, what time are you leaving here tomorrow morning?" Martha asked of her son.  
"About 8:30." Rick replied.  
"Good. Make sure you _are_ gone by then. We need plenty of time to get Kate ready for you."  
Kate smiled. "Yeah." She said. "It's gonna take hours."  
Rick smiled back at her. "So I can expect you to look perfect, then?"  
"Oh, I don't know about perfect..." Kate said.  
"She will be perfect." Martha butted in. Smiling at Kate, she said, "We'll make sure of it."  
"Thank you." Kate said.  
"No problems, kiddo. It is my honour to help you get ready." She leant forward and hugged Kate.  
Rick grinned at Kate over his mother's shoulder.  
Kate hugged Martha, and grinned back at Rick.  
"I am so excited!" Alexis had bounded into the room during the exchange. "I can't believe you guys are finally getting married!"  
Pulling away from her soon to be mother in law, Kate smiled up at Alexis. "Sometimes I can't believe it either." She said. "I mean, come on, I'm marrying _the_ Richard Castle!"  
"That's not a fair statement." Rick said.  
"Why not?" Kate asked.  
"It's true." Alexis pointed out.  
"Well, similarly I could point out that I'm marrying _the_ Kate Beckett."  
"I'm nowhere near as famous as you." Kate said.  
"Oh, you're getting there." Rick replied.  
"Yeah." Kate said, not sounding overly enthusiastic.  
Rick put an arm around her shoulders. "Being known does not make you any less of a great cop." He said. "You are fantastic, and now, everyone'll know that."  
Kate smiled up at Rick. "Thanks." She paused, looking thoughtful. "You know, I think I can put up with being known, if it means I'm married to you."  
Alexis was grinning like mad. Martha was looking mildly amused, and slightly proud. She'd mostly raised her son well. It was times like this that his true personality shone through.  
"Well, who's up for dinner?" Rick asked. "I'm cooking tonight." He stood up, and held a hand out to Kate. "Coming, my dear?"  
Kate laughed and took his hand. Rick pulled her to her feet, and she followed him to the kitchen. Once they were out of sight of Martha and Alexis, Rick pressed Kate up against the kitchen bench.  
She raised an eyebrow at him, going along with it, at least for the moment.  
"Have I told you recently how amazing you are?" He asked, ending the question with a passionate kiss to her lips. "You fit into my family perfectly." He continued. "You are perfect."  
Kate could feel Rick, hard against her thigh. She sighed.  
As much as I like where this is headed, I think that with your daughter and mother in the next room..."  
"There's always our room."  
"Mmm... well, you did say you were going to make dinner." Kate pointed out.  
"They can wait."  
Kate grinned cheekily at Rick. "No, they can't." She pushed Rick away, and, throwing another cheeky look over her shoulder, left Rick alone in the kitchen.

Curled up in each other's arms late that night, Kate couldn't sleep. She was too wired, too worked up. Too excited. She rolled over, away from Rick, to check the time. 2:04. Wow. She was going to be exhausted at the wedding. Another thought hit her. It was now the next day, the day of the wedding. She was getting married today! Kate reclined back, propping her head up on one hand. She stared down at Rick, and pondered how she'd managed to get to this point. It had started, probably when they first met. They attraction had always been there. Thinking back to that day, Kate remembered how nervous she had been as she confidently strode up to her favourite author. Of course, nerves had quickly turned to irritation, and attraction. She definitely hadn't thought she'd ever be attracted to this man. Fate had, however, had different plans for them. And here she was today, unable to sleep, and about to marry Richard Castle. Kate watched the rise and fall of Rick's chest, and it lulled her. She dropped the hand propping her up, and lay her head on her pillow. Still watching Rick, she eventually drifted off...

**A/N: It's almost wedding time! Yay! I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP. I'll give you a hint... it starts with another newspaper article...**

Please take a few minutes out of your day and review :D It makes my day.

To those of you who review every chapter, you're all great! Thanks heaps. :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Ten**

When Kate woke up later that morning, Rick was gone. She rolled over to check the time. 9:32 am. She rolled back onto her back and rubbed her eyes. Her gaze strayed and landed on Rick's side of the bed. Lying there was a newspaper. Kate picked it up, and smiled. They had made the front cover again. While she knew she should be upset for having more photos taken of herself when she wasn't aware, this photo wasn't so bad. It had obviously been taken the morning that she and Rick had woken up in Central Park. This was taken while they were still asleep, with Kate curled up against Rick's chest, his arms protectively around her.  
_'Today's the day' _the title proclaimed. Kate read on.

_The hugely anticipated wedding of crime novelist Richard Castle and NYPD Detective Kate Beckett is finally here! This afternoon the pair will finally be wed in a small ceremony. The couple, who have been together for just under two years now, were engaged nine months ago, and have been the subject of many rumours. Stories of separation, and of trouble between the two have been proven to be just that – stories. We here, at the newspaper HQ, wish Richard and Kate all the best; and endeavour to bring you, the public, exclusive pictures of the wedding as soon as they become available._

There was a handwritten note on the bottom of the paper; "Morning, beautiful. Can't wait to see you later. Enjoy your morning of preparations. I love you so much, Kate." Followed by a scrawled love heart, and "Rick." Kate smiled at the thoughtfulness of the note. She was marrying this man today, and she was excited! She couldn't wait. She could hear movement throughout the apartment, so she figured Lanie must've arrived. That was her cue to get out of bed. She pulled on a robe, and made her way out into the living room.  
"Good morning!" Martha said happily when she saw Kate. "How are you feeling?"  
"Great." Kate replied with a smile. "I'm getting married today!"  
Martha beamed back.  
"Girl, it is about time you got out of bed." Lanie walked into the living room. "Your dress is hanging in Alexis' room, along with our dresses as well. All your makeup and hair stuff is there, too. You ready for us to transform you?" She asked with a grin.  
Kate smiled back. "Sure. I'll just have a quick shower, then I'm all yours."  
Lanie pulled Kate into a hug. "I'm so happy for you, Kate."  
"Thanks, Lanie." Kate replied, hugging her friend.  
"Now, you go have that shower, and then we'll get started." Lanie ordered.  
"Yes, ma'am." Kate replied, and she went to have a shower.

The apartment was abuzz when Kate exited the bathroom. Lanie, Martha and Alexis were with the lady they'd hired to do Kate's hair and makeup. They were busy organising hair products and cosmetics on the kitchen bed.  
"Kate!" Alexis jumped up and wrapped her arms around Kate, hugging her tightly.  
Kate smiled, and hugged the girl back. "Good morning, Alexis." She said.  
"You're getting married today!" Alexis pulled back and grinned at Kate.  
"I know!"  
Alexis couldn't stop smiling. "You are going to look beautiful."  
"As are you, I'm sure." Kate replied.  
"Thanks. But you are going to more beautiful than anyone else." Alexis lead Kate to a stool, and sat her down.  
"Kate, this is going to take awhile." Said the beautician, Amanda, with a smile. "But it will definitely be worth it."  
Kate nodded. "Thank you."  
"Oh, don't thank me yet." Amanda said, as she began with Kate's hair.

Kate had let her hair grow a bit over the almost two years she'd been with Rick, so it was currently sitting a little below her shoulders, which gave Amanda quite a bit to work with. By the time she was done, Kate's hair was completely different. She had a small braid across the front, pulling her fringe off her face. The braid was tucked in underneath more hair on the side, where the rest tumbled gently in curls down the side of Kate's face. Kate stared at herself in the mirror in her bedroom for a few moments.  
"Wow." She murmured.  
"Kate?" Alexis' voice interrupted Kate's thoughts.  
"Yeah?" Kate asked, turning around.  
Alexis smiled as she looked at Kate. Her hair had been done too, by Martha. "You ready for your makeup?"  
"Sure." Kate replied. She crosses the room to where Alexis stood, and smiled at her almost stepdaughter. "Only a few hours to go." She said.  
Alexis grinned. "Yep." She wrapped an arm around Kate's waist. "And finally Dad will have the perfect wife."  
"Oh, I wouldn't say I'm perfect." Kate said, as they walked back into the living area.  
"You're perfect for him, and that's what matters the most." Alexis replied, with a gentle squeeze. She let Kate go, and carefully sat down on the couch, as not to disturb her hair.  
Kate sat back down on her stool, and smiled at Amanda. "Okay, make me up." She said.  
And so Amanda did.

Kate's father, Jim, had arrived just as Amanda was putting the finishing touches on Kate's face. He stood, and stared at his daughter.  
"Hey, Dad." Kate said, when she was finally allowed to move her face.  
"Hey, Sweetheart." He replied. "You look beautiful."  
"Don't even have my dress on, yet." Kate said with a small smile.  
"You still look beautiful." Jim walked closer, and carefully gave Kate a hug. "If only your mother could be here for this." He whispered.  
"I know, Dad, I wish she was, too."  
Jim pulled back to stare at his daughter again. He smiled. "She would be so proud of you. Just like I am."  
Kate smiled back at her father. "Thanks, Dad." She said quietly.  
Jim checked the time. "So, how long 'til we leave?"  
Kate automatically looked down at her wrist, then realised she wasn't wearing her watch. Instead she glanced at the kitchen clock. "An hour." She replied.  
"Well, in that case, do you want to go and start getting dressed?" Jim suggested.  
Kate chuckled, and carefully gave Jim a kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Dad."  
"I love you, too, Katie."

Kate and Lanie carefully removed the dress from its protective covering, and lay it on the bed.  
"Wow." Lanie said. "It really is beautiful." She smiled down at the dress, and then up at Kate.  
"It is, isn't it?" Kate bit her lip, suddenly looking shy. "This is it." She said. "I'm getting married in just over an hour. Wow."  
"Don't go freaking out on me now, girl." Lanie replied. "I don't want to be the bridesmaid who has to stand there saying 'uh, sorry, shouldn't be too much longer,' while the groom gets more and more worried." She gave Kate a stern look. "You're not going to leave him at the altar, are you?"  
"God, no." Kate said adamantly. "It's just... wow. Suddenly it's here, and... well, truthfully, nothing's ever felt more right."  
Lanie smiled in satisfaction. "Good. Now let's get you into this dress."

**A/N: Well, this **_**was**_** going to be the wedding chapter, but then it kinda expanded out. Next chapter will definitely be the wedding. Yay :D**

As always, thanks for the reviews, and I always appreciate more. I'm glad you all seem to be enjoying this story. I'm certainly enjoying writing it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Eleven**

Kate had decided against a limo. It seemed too showy, and she was perfectly content to go in her Dad's car. They pulled up outside the small church they'd agreed on having the wedding in, and Jim hopped out of the car. He opened the door for Kate and held out his hand. He was smiling broadly, and in turn, Kate smiled back. She took his hand and stepped carefully out of the car. While she was used to wearing chunky heals at work, she was wearing a pair that were a little more delicate and strappy, and as a result, she had to walk slower and more cautiously than she would otherwise. She tightly held her dad's arm, and they made their way to the door.  
"Well, Katie. This is it." Jim said. "Not gonna back out are you?"  
Kate leant up and gently kissed him on the cheek. "No." She said with a smile.  
"Well then, shall we?"  
"We shall." Kate replied.  
Martha poked her head out the door, and smiled at Kate. "Ready?"  
Kate nodded.  
"Fantastic." Martha ducked back inside, and a few moments later the doors opened. Music began to play. Alexis walked down the aisle first. Kate had insisted upon Alexis being a bridesmaid too. Alexis, of course, was thrilled. She walked slowly and deliberately, smiling at her dad. Rick smiled back at her, pride shining through behind it. He had also insisted that Alexis be his best man. 'Or, best girl, or whatever.' as he had put it. Alexis went to stand next to him.  
Lanie went next, and with a quick wink to Kate, she walked down the aisle, and took her place up the front.  
It was Kate's turn now. She and Jim walked slowly, as everyone marvelled at her. Kate's dress was relatively simple, nothing too extravagant. It hugged her figure nicely, flaring out slightly from the waist. It was bunched up on one side, creating texture, and it swept up to where there was one strip of fabric created a strap over the opposing shoulder. There was a very small train out the back, not too long, Kate hadn't wanted a long train, otherwise she figured she'd probably trip over it. She felt a bit self conscious, but the look on Rick's face as he gazed at her made her forget about the guests. It was all she could do to stop herself running down the aisle and into his arms.  
She and Jim stopped next to Rick, and Kate grinned up at him. He grinned back.  
Their celebrant, Daniel, began. "We are gathered here today to, finally, join Richard Castle and Katherine Beckett in matrimony." He smiled at them, and then looked around. "I assume no-one objects?"  
No-one said anything.  
"Good." He turned his attention to Jim. "Do you give your daughter to be married?"  
"I do." Jim said, and he gave Kate a quick hug, before passing her hand to Rick. "I love you." He whispered.  
"I love you, too, Dad." Kate replied.  
Jim went and sat down.  
"Well, then, Richard Castle, do you take Katherine Beckett to be your lawful wedded wife? Will you honour her, cherish her, and love her from this day forward?"  
"I do, and I will." Rick replied, smiling tenderly at Kate.  
"Katherine Beckett, do you take Richard Castle to be you lawful wedded husband? Will you honour him, cherish him, and love him from this day forward?"  
"I do. And I definitely will." Kate said.  
"Now, I believe Rick and Kate have written their own vows." Said Daniel. He looked at them.  
Rick took one of Kate's hands. "Kate. Today is the day I take you to be my wife. I promise to love you, to care for you, to give you space when you need it. I promise to be your friend, and your constant support. I promise to laugh with you, to cry with you, to grow old with you. I love you, Kate. I always will."  
Kate blinked back a tear. "Rick. Ricky." She smiled. "Sometimes I wonder how we got to this point. Other times I thought we wouldn't get to this point. But we did, thankfully. So today I marry you, and you marry me. So I promise to you that I won't kill you, no matter how badly you get on my nerves. I promise that I will love you, always, and I'll take care of you, if you need taking care of. I'll be there for you, whenever you need me. I love you."  
"Now, can I have the rings?" Daniel asked.  
Alexis dived into her purse, and produced the two rings. She passed them to Daniel. He blessed them, and held one out to Rick.  
Rick took it. "Kate, with this ring, I thee wed." He'd wanted the traditional words, just 'cos they sound cool.' "Wear it as a symbol of our love and devotion."  
He slid the band onto Kate's finger, where it sat next to her engagement ring. She smiled down at it, then took the other ring. She tenderly held Rick's had.  
"Rick, with this ring, I thee wed." She slid it onto his finger. "Wear it as a symbol of our love and devotion."  
They turned back to Daniel, who beamed at them. "As you've all been witness to today, Rick and Kate have pledged themselves to each other. I hope you will all support them in their journey. And without further ado, I pronounce you husband and wife." He turned to Rick. "You may kiss the bride." He turned to Kate. "And you may kiss the groom."  
Kate wrapped her arms around Rick's neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. They leant close, and kissed gently.  
"I love you." Rick whispered against Kate's lips.  
"I love you more." Kate replied.  
"Nuh uh." Rick answered.  
Kate giggled, and they pulled apart to face their audience.  
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr and Mrs Rick and Kate Castle."  
There was a loud outpouring of applause, wolf whistles, and general cheering.  
Kate turned to smile at her husband. "Well..."  
"Well..." Rick replied. He was giving her one of his special, reserved-only-for-Kate smiles.  
Kate couldn't help herself. She reached up and kissed him again.

The reception was a small affair, a sit down dinner in the hall adjoining the church. Everyone crowded around Kate and Rick to offer their congratulations and to wish the couple all the best, and many years to come.  
For their part, Kate and Rick were polite and thankful towards their friends, but deep down, they just wanted to get out of there.  
Eventually, the guests started to leave, and soon it was just Rick, Kate, Alexis, Martha, Jim, Ryan and his girlfriend Jenny, Esposito, Lanie and Montgomery. The group helped to tidy up the hall, and were soon departing themselves.  
"Today was really nice." Ryan said to Kate just before he left. "And congratulations."  
"Thanks, Ryan." Kate replied, giving him a hug. "And thank you for coming."  
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world." Ryan replied.  
Kate watched him leave with Jenny, and then turned to Esposito.  
He grinned at her. "It was a good day."  
"It was, wasn't it?"  
Esposito pulled Kate into a hug, and said, "I'm really happy for you, Kate."  
Kate hugged him back. "Thank you." She whispered.  
Esposito pulled back, and gave Kate a quick kiss on the cheek. "Well, thank you. And have a good honeymoon."  
"I'm sure we will." Kate replied with a smile.  
It was at this point that Lanie sidled up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Well, I think today was perfect."  
"So do I." Kate replied. She smiled at her friend. "Thank you for everything. I really couldn't have done it without you."  
"I know." Lanie replied with a slight grin. "Now, have a great honeymoon. I want all the details when you get home."  
"You know you'll get them."  
"Yes, I do. So enjoy your time away from work."  
Kate hugged Lanie tightly. "I will."  
"Good. Anyway, I'll leave you to it."  
And she was gone.  
Captain Montgomery left next. He gave Kate a hug. She'd been giving and receiving a lot of those today. "You did good." He said. "Castle is a fine man. Treat him right."  
"Sure thing, Captain." Kate answered. "Just so long as he treats me right, too."  
They both glanced at Rick, who was talking to Jim across the hall. He noticed them looking at him, and raised an eyebrow. Kate smiled.  
"Somehow I don't think that's going to be a problem." Montgomery said.  
"Neither do I." Kate said. "Thank you for coming today, Sir. It means a lot to me."  
"Well, you are a very important part of the NYPD. Not to mention you and your team are like family. So thank you for inviting me."  
"You're welcome."  
"And so are you."  
Montgomery gave Kate's hand a brief squeeze, and then he left.  
It was just family, now. Kate wandered over to her husband and her father.  
Rick immediately pulled her close, laying a kiss on the top of her head.  
Kate wrapped her arms around him as she pressed against his side.  
Jim smiled down at his daughter. "You really look beautiful today, Kate." He said. "I am so proud of you."  
Kate smiled back up at her father. "Thank you."  
"But I really should be going."  
"Thanks, Dad. For everything."  
"No worries, Katie."  
Kate let go of Rick so she could hug Jim. They embraced for a while, until he eventually pulled away. He kissed her gently on the cheek.  
"Have a wonderful honeymoon. And stay safe."  
"We will." Kate promised.  
Satisfied, Jim smiled again, and left.  
"Well, then." Rick said. He pulled Kate close, and nuzzled her hair. "What do you say we go home, Mrs Castle?"

**A/N: So, happy? I am. I love writing fluffy stuff. :D Of course, it's not finished quite yet. I'm thinking maybe one more chapter. I have more ideas, so if you want to hear more stories from this world, let me know. I think I could easily write another one for this series.**

As always, I love getting your reviews. Thanks to all of you who faithfully review. You guys are the best!

Am currently in the process of downloading Tick, Tick, Tick. So hopefully not too much longer before I can watch that. I can't wait!


	12. Chapter 12

**Scrapbook**

**Chapter Twelve**

Kate sunk down onto the bed, and reached down to tug her shoes off.  
"Hey, let me." Rick said, and he crouched down in front of his wife. He let his fingers drift over her ankles as he gently slipped the shoes off her feet. He smiled up at her and let the shoes drop to the floor. He stood up and leant over Kate so he could kiss her. Kate happily kissed him back, then pushed him away with one hand.  
"I have to get this dress off." She said. "It's all well and good wearing it for a day, but right now, I just want it off."  
Rick grinned. "Yeah. I reckon I'd prefer you without it right about now, too."  
Kate laughed and leant forward to kiss Rick again. "Gimme a hand?" She asked.  
"Sure."  
Kate stood up and turned so her back was to Rick. He gently undid the zip, and began pressing kisses to Kate's bare skin.  
She shuddered and chuckled. "I want the dress safely off before we get into that." She murmured over her shoulder. "It's too expensive to damage." She continued with a sly grin.  
"What about the sentimental value?" Rick asked.  
"Hmm..." Kate pretended to think it over. "I suppose it has _some_ sentimental value."  
"You suppose?"  
Kate turned and wrapped her arms around Rick's neck. "It's a beautiful dress. But you know what?"  
"What?"  
"I'd've been happy to marry you wearing my pyjamas." Kate whispered in his ear.  
Rick grinned, and with a flourish, let Kate's dress fall to the floor. Kate gave him a disapproving look, and carefully picked it up. She placed it gently on the sideboard, and then turned back to Rick. "So, where were we?" She asked.  
Rick gave her a sly grin, and stalked over to her. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close, kissing her passionately. He led her to their bed, and gently pushed her down onto it. He kissed a trail down her neck, over her chest, and onto her breasts. Through Kate's special wedding lingerie, Rick sucked gently, causing Kate to moan, and arch up into him. Rick slipped his hands underneath her so he could remove the bra, and then latched onto her breast again. Kate tangled her fingers in his hair, and held him close.  
"God, I love you so much." She whispered.  
Rick looked up at her, and smiled tenderly. "I love you, Kate. Thank you for making today perfect."  
"And thank you." Kate replied. "You made it perfect, too."  
Rick grinned, then helped Kate as she tugged at his shirt. It wasn't long before they were both naked, and Rick gently entered Kate. They moved slowly, perfectly in unison.  
Their eyes didn't leave each others as they moved. Kate made small noises in the back of her throat as Rick moved in and out of her. Rick kissed her face; her lips, her cheeks, her nose, her neck. It was everything Kate could've hoped for on her wedding night.  
Kate fell first. She came, almost silently, and for the first time she closed her eyes. Her muscles clenched around Rick, and he came soon after, whispering her name in her ear.  
They lay silently together after, hands clasped over Rick's heart, Kate curled into his side. She was almost asleep, and Rick pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  
"Goodnight, gorgeous." He whispered.  
Kate smiled, and Rick could feel it against his bare skin. "Goodnight, handsome." She replied, kissing the side of his chest, the only part of his skin she could reach without moving. They fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning was lazy. They woke up mid morning and lazily made love. They had all day, after all. Rick slipped out of bed while Kate was dozing, and when she woke up, she found that he'd bought her breakfast, or rather, lunch, in bed.  
Kate smiled up at her husband as he placed the tray of food down in front of her. "You gonna join me?"  
"Try and stop me." Rick replied, as her crawled onto the bed beside her. He gave her a gentle kiss, and said, "Shall we eat?"  
Kate laughed. "Sure thing, Castle." She replied.  
"Some habits just don't die, huh?" Rick asked.  
"Nuh." Kate replied with a cheeky grin. "Besides, I know you like it when I call you Castle." She picked up a strawberry and held it up to Rick's lips. He opened his mouth and ate it, sucking in Kate's fingers lightly. She giggled, and helped herself to a strawberry too. Rick decided that it was wrong for a woman to be that alluring with fruit.  
Kate continued to eat her lunch, throwing furtive glances at Rick the whole time.  
When they'd finished, Rick took the dishes to the kitchen, then quickly returned. Kate grinned at him, and gestured him towards the bed. He sank down onto it, and Kate crawled on top of him, kissing him hungrily. She ground her hips into him, and Rick's hand came to rest on her hips. Kate tugged at Rick's boxers, which meant she had to get off him for a few seconds. As soon as he was free of them, she was straight back on him, his erection pressing right against her bare skin. Rick quickly pulled the shirt Kate was wearing over her head and tossed it aside. He kissing and nipping at her breasts straight away, and Kate decided she couldn't wait. She rose up slightly, positioning Rick correctly, and she sank down onto him. They both groaned. Kate started to move, slowly at first, and then she picked up some speed. And then her cell phone rang. At first Kate ignored it, and so did Rick. Five minutes later when it was still ringing, Kate groaned unhappily, and looked down at Rick. He nodded, and they rolled over so Kate could grab the phone.  
"Should've turned this thing off." She muttered as she answered it. "Beckett." She snapped.  
Rick watched as his wife's face went from annoyed and aroused, to upset, angry, and finally, resigned.  
"Fine." She muttered. "I'll be there in half an hour." She hung up and angrily threw the phone across the room.  
"Problems?" Rick asked.  
Kate rolled away from him, and sat up on the edge of the bed. "I shouldn't be so good at my job. They figure it's okay to interrupt my honeymoon to investigate a serial killer."  
"And by 'they' you mean...?"  
"The Mayor, Judge Markway. Any number of people higher up in the chain than Montgomery." Kate sighed. "I'm so sorry, Rick. I don't have a choice."  
Rick sat up, and wrapped his arms around Kate from the back. "Hey, no problems. And you are the best at your job, which is why they want _you_ to solve this."  
"I know." Kate leant her head back against Rick's chest. "But you know what? I'd much rather go on our honeymoon."  
"I tell you what," Rick said, "As soon as we solve this, you and I are taking a month off for a much needed holiday slash honeymoon. Agreed?"  
Kate turned her head, and kissed Rick gently. "Agreed."  
"Good." Rick replied, kissing her back. "Now, we have a killer to catch, do we not?"  
"We do."  
"Okay, let's get up and dressed then."  
"There's still one thing, though." Kate said.  
"Oh?"  
She twisted free from Rick's grasp, and pushed him back down onto the bed. "Uh huh." She said with a grin, as she crawled back on top of him.

The End.

**A/N: And that's that.**

:D

I decided that the 'honeymoon' or in this case, holiday, would take place in the next story. Which might take a while, but it's definitely in planning. I also thought it'd be just their luck that Kate catches a case when they're supposed to be on their honeymoon. But let's face it, she is one of the best.

So, I want to thank all of you who have stuck around for this, and I appreciate all the feedback. This is now my most reviewed story, so thank you all :D

And as always, reviews are great. (Especially cos I'm almost at 100. Yay!) So, if you haven't reviewed yet, please do. And if you are one of those people who reviews every chapter, you are GREAT!


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